


Dawning Realization

by itbeajen



Series: Ike and Floofs [4]
Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Modern AU, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-12 21:37:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13556079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itbeajen/pseuds/itbeajen
Summary: You were his next door neighbor, and he was yours. It didn’t take much for that status to evolve into friendship and maybe a tad bit more.





	1. Change in Consistency

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

"It's hot," Ranulf whined as he slumped down against his locker. He ducked his head down and sighed, "Why is it so hot?"

 

Boyd agreed as the other sat down beside him. The cool tile was a brief relief from the heat on their body. He sighed and mumbled, "It sucks that our uniforms are all long sleeves and pants."

 

"You could wear short sleeves," Ranulf pointed out as he pulled on Boyd's sleeves. Boyd grumbled, "I only own like two pairs. I need to buy more."

 

"But seriously, it's  _ hot, _ " Ranulf mumbled. His heterochromatic hues glanced up at Ike, who was simply peeling off the layers of his uniform and the male whined, "Ike, how are you  _ alive _ ?"

 

"I'm not," Ike grumbled. The bluenette's face was set in a permanent scowl from the heat. All three males had sweat clinging to their skin and they all sighed, "It's hot."

 

"Ice cream sounds good," Ranulf mumbled as he leaned back against the locker. Boyd nodded and then he mumbled, "Or the beach."

 

"The beach!" Ranulf's eyes lit up and Boyd grinned, "Water, sand, bonfires, smores! The beach!"

 

"The  _ beach _ !" the two chanted and Ike laughed, "Sounds good to me."

 

"You should invite your sister and her friends," Ranulf suggested with a slight nudge towards Boyd. Boyd flushed red, although at first glance, anyone would think it was just the heat from the sun that got him that red. But Boyd's stutter gives it all away, "Y-Yeah, you should invite Mist, Ike."

 

Ike immediately glanced down at his friend, there's a raised eyebrow, and Ranulf snickered just slightly until he was nudged by Boyd to stop. Ranulf stops, but the smug grin on his face is evident. Ike sighed before looking away, only for Ranulf to grab his attention quickly with, "But beaches also mean swimsuits. I can only imagine-"

 

"Ranulf," Boyd's tone was filled with warning as he tried to avoid the potential landmine that the cat-like male was leading him towards. Ranulf laughed, and drawled, "Yes?"

 

Boyd finds himself at a loss for words, leading to a chuckle from his co-worker and friend. Ranulf gently poked Boyd's cheek, "Aww, what's wrong? Cat got your tongue at the thought of a certain someone in a swim-"

 

Ranulf is immediately quieted by the clearing of a certain older brother's throat. Ike gives both of them a warning glare, and they look away; one out of embarrassment and the other from being caught red handed. He sighed and looked away, only to glance down at the blinking light on his phone and Ranulf zooms in on the screen and then whistled, "Would ya look at that?"

 

Boyd is nudged into looking over and he squints. A sly grin overtakes his features and he drawled, "So, [F/N]."

 

Ike tenses, and Ranulf continued, "Is  _ that _ why you're always glued to your phone on your breaks?"

 

Ike shoves his phone into his pocket quickly as he finishes changing out of his uniform and Boyd teased, "So on top of frequently messaging each other, you guys even go to each other's houses all the time too, huh?"

 

His head turns around quickly, and the surprise in those oceanic blue orbs is as clear as day and he stuttered, "W-What? How did you-" but he paused and he grumbled, "It was Mist wasn't it?"

 

Boyd proudly nods, a bright smile on his face, and answered, "Mist tells me everything, and always talks to me about how you've been stealing away her precious boss. She also tells me about how you guys have dinner with together on the weekends and that [F/N] makes you guys lunch and-"

 

"Heh, so you and Mist talk every day, huh?" Ike immediately pointed out. There's a sly tint in his eyes when he glances down, and Ranulf swears that's probably the smuggest he's ever seen his friend look. Boyd flushes red and he muttered, "N-No, w-we don't."

 

"Sure," Ranulf teased and then glanced up to see Ike absolutely enjoying the embarrassment on his face. The two blue haired men exchange a slight glance and chuckled. Boyd frowned and grumbled, "K-Knock it off!"

 

"Oh please, like you don't tease Ike every chance you get," Ranulf laughed. Ike nodded sagely and then he muttered, "When did you two even get that close anyways?"

 

"And older brother Ike has appeared, time for you to make yourself scarce, Boyd," Ranulf laughed. Boyd stood up quickly and muttered, "Shut up, Ranulf." 

 

His ears were tinged red, and Ranulf slowly gets up, sparing a sly glance at Ike who just fondly shook his head at the duo. Although Ranulf's gaze lingers momentarily and he asked, "Does [F/N] really come over that often though?"

 

"Yeah, for dinner on the weekends and to drop off lunch for us in the morning," Ike explained and Ranulf whistled, "Wow, must be nice to have someone make you food."

 

Ike catches the sly grin, and he sighed. His lips part, ready to counter with a retort, but the vibration of his phone catches his attention instead, and upon seeing the caller ID he leaves the locker room in a rush. Boyd glanced over and the remaining blue haired male shrugged, "No clue. But you know."

 

Ranulf paused, and Boyd smirked, "Yeah, I  _ still _ think they like each other."

 

"Right?" Ranulf sighed and mumbled, "I wish he wasn't such a blockhead sometimes."

 

"Ike's perceptive just, you know, not in that aspect," Boyd shrugged, his smirk dropping and he muttered, "You know it's going to be tough when even  _ Mist _ thinks that neither of them will make the first move any time soon."

 

"Really?" Ranulf barely muttered. Boyd gives an affirmative nod and Ranulf chuckled, "Well, I'm sure we can figure something out for those two lovebirds."

 

Boyd agreed, and then Ranulf casually added, "And of course, for you two as w-"

 

The sound of clothes hitting the metal locker is heard as Ranulf slyly dodged. Boyd's face is flushed red and Ranulf laughed, "You two are too easy."

 

***

 

"And here we were thinking you'd never come home," Mist teased as Ike finally sat down next to her after showering. He grumbled an incoherent response, but drops his head onto the dining table slowly and closed his eyes. Mist gently poked his cheek, "That tired?"

 

He made a weird grunt of agreement, and then raised his head when you set a plate before his face. He frowned and you said, "Look, I usually listen to what you and Mist want to eat, but all you guys ever eat is meat, meat, and meat. That's not balanced at all."

 

"But-"

 

"No, disagreements, I'm not listening," you ended his pathetic 'but' and then you give him a soft smile, "Come on, don't be such a picky eater. Not everyone can cater to your taste buds all the time."

 

You walked away and Mist laughed, "Glad to know I'm not the only one spoiled rotten."

 

Ike weakly picked at the plate that was primarily green and he sighed, "Maybe I've gotten too use to your cooking."

 

"Or maybe you're just too meat crazy," you laughed as you washed the dishes. Ike glanced around and he asked, "Did you two already eat?"

 

"Yeah, you came home so late, we were starving!" Mist admitted and then Ike shook his head, "Sorry."

 

"Hey, it's fine, it's not like this hasn't happened before," you responded amiably, but you mumbled, "Although it is kind of weird that I'm so used to this new lifestyle."

 

Mist's gaze didn't leave your figure and she giggled, "Hey, you should move in with us."

 

There's a choking sound from the male sitting beside her, and you're just stunned. Ike's eyes are wide as he tries to get the food to move back towards the right direction. Mist hands him a cup of water and he quickly recovered. He gives Mist a look, and she shrugged, "It was worth a shot. [F/N] already comes over so often, and we even sleep over at your house every now and then. But wouldn't life just be easier if you moved in with us?"

 

"Well, as much as I'd like to say yes, I don't think my parents will be too keen on me moving in with people I don't plan on living with for the rest of my life."

 

"You  _ could _ live with us for the rest of your life," Mist implied. She risked a glance at her brother who was clearly still in shock that she even offered such an idea, and then at you who merely shook your head, "Look, I love you guys and all, but I feel like I'm your mom."

 

"But I'm older," Ike grumbled as he ate his food. You rolled your eyes and Mist sighed, "It was worth a shot. Anyways, so beach day."

 

"You guys too?" Ike groaned as he recalled today with Boyd and Ranulf. Mist nodded, although hesitantly and she muttered, "It was actually Boyd's idea, but.. it's also Corgi Beach day, and I  _ know _ a certain someone here loves dogs."

 

"I love  **all** animals, Mist," you corrected her, but you asked, "And what was  _ that  _ supposed to mean Ike?"

 

"Exactly like it sounds," he answered in between chewing, "Ranulf and Boyd have been wanting to go. Maybe we should just go as a group."

 

"Well, I don't really care who goes, I just wanna see the doggos," you responded honestly. Mist rolled her eyes, and Ike deadpanned, "'Doggos'?"

 

But you don't hear his response as you finished washing up the plates, Mist turned to him and said, "Corgis. The corgis."

 

"Ah."

 

"[F/N] hates the beach, but she said that she'd go if it was for the corgis."

 

"Why are you going at all then if you hate the beach so much?" Ike asked as soon as you sat down at the table. You pouted, "Look, I don't want to go to the beach per say, but  _ corgis _ ."

 

You stressed the name of the dog breed, and you continued, "I hate the sand, and the water is definitely unsanitary, but for the corgis, I'll definitely go."

 

"I don't get you," Ike sighed. You rolled your eyes and muttered, "You're so uncultured in the ways of cute and fluffy."

 

He raised an eyebrow at you and you stuck out your tongue like a kid, "Just wait, you'll see the charm in short legged, chubby, fluffy dogs."

 

***

 

The next day is also hot, and Boyd slumped against his locker, forehead resting against the cool metal and he mumbled, "I'm so glad we're going to the beach tomorrow."

 

"Right?" Ranulf eagerly answered and then asked, "So who's going again?"

 

"Rolf, Mist, Titania, me, you, Ike, and [F/N]," Boyd answered and Ranulf whistled, "Can't wait."

 

"Yup," Boyd agreed, and Ranulf teased, "For Mist?"

 

His entire body tenses, but he suddenly feels a chill going down his back. Boyd slowly turned around, and Ike's clearly drilling holes through the back of his head. He held his hands up in defeat and muttered, "I swear I'm not thinking badly of Mist."

 

The glare is still present, but Ike's expression quickly changes the moment Ranulf quipped, "Well, it's either Mist or [F/N], both of them are cute. They're definitely going to grab attention at the beach."

 

Both males watched as Ike's glare turned into a frown, and he muttered, "The two of them can take care of themselves."

 

"Mm, Mist maybe, but [F/N]'s so nice, do you really think-" Ranulf stopped part way when he sees the strained expression on Ike's face, and he murmured, "Sorry, probs went too far."

 

"Probably is an understatement," Boyd whispered and Ranulf mumbled, "Okay, I know I went too far, but I do mean it when I say [F/N] is cute. Don't you agree, Ike?" 

 

But Ike doesn't respond at all. He barely muttered a, "good job today, see you tomorrow" as he walked past, but both males did not fail to see the tinge of pink that was present on their friend's ears. Boyd chuckled and shook his head, "That's probably the most flustered we can ever get him to be."

 

"He has it  _ bad _ , man. It's almost worse than yours," Ranulf teased. Boyd grumbled incoherently as Ranulf's laughter echoed through the locker room. Indeed, both of them just had it bad.

 

***

 

Back at the vet's office, Mist and Rolf are literally planning everything as you sat on the sidelines watching the two of them outline everything. There's a gentle pat on your shoulder and you glanced up to see Titania smiling fondly at you. You swiveled your chair around as she takes a seat beside you and asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to cover for you so you can just take the whole day off?"

 

"It's fine, the clients specifically asked for me anyways," you responded cheerfully. She sighed, "Really, you should just take a break."

 

"It's  _ fine _ ," you repeated as you glanced over to the schedule Mist and Rolf laid out for tomorrow's beach day. Although it did make you a bit sad that you would miss out on basically all the cute corgi activities, at least there would hopefully be less people around. But your gaze on the schedule was cut short from the intense stare that your beautiful co-worker was giving you. You turn back to her and asked, "What?"

 

"Nothing, I'm just doubting your real interests in still going to the beach," she shrugged. Titania leaned forward slightly and whispered, "I know you hate the place, but you wouldn't  _ just _ go for the corgis, now would you?"

 

"Of course I would!" you pouted, "I can't believe you're doubting me." 

 

But there's a coy smile on her visage and you frowned, "Oh no. I do  _ not _ like that look on your face, Titania. As long as I've known you and as much as I respect you, and am grateful for all that you've done, I see _ that _ face. I'm escaping."

 

But her hand is gentle, yet strong on your wrist as her smile widened, and she chuckled, "I'm not sure what expression you're talking about."

 

Titania almost laughed at the wariness in your entire being, but instead she gently pinched your cheeks and cooed, "You're so cute, [F/N]."

 

The displeasure in your gaze was evident, and she promptly lets go, only to whisper, "I've heard things about you and your friendship."

 

You tensed, but you pulled away and muttered, "I have no clue what you're implying, but I don't want to know."

 

Titania chuckled as she pulled away, but she whispered a last parting word, "Well, I hope you and your bluenette get along well."

 

She watched with amusement as you tensed and you muttered, "I'm leaving. I'll be doing a half day tomorrow. Good work team."

 

As soon as you leave the room, Titania bursts into laughter, causing the two younger ones to turn around in confusion. Mist frowned and asked, "Did [F/N] just leave without me?"

 

"Perhaps," Titania managed between her laughter. She wipes away a single tear and she shook her head fondly. You were too fun to tease.

 

***

 

Mist is clearly upset when Ike gets home, but he has no idea why. You shoot her an apologetic look and she huffed before looking away. Ike glances between the two of them and asked, "What happened?"

 

"I left her at work." / "She left work without me!"

 

Ike raised an eyebrow and you sighed, "Look, I just-" You paused when you made eye contact with the person that caused you to actually leave and you muttered, "I have no excuse, but I didn't mean to. I just, kind of forgot."

 

You lamely shrugged and Mist sighed, "And you're not even going to the beach day anymore!"

 

"You're not?" Ike parroted and you shook your head, "I'm coming later. I promised a client I'd be in tomorrow morning so I'm leaving after I finish working with them."

 

Mist frowned and whined, "We were going to carpool and sing karaoke in the car and play with Rolf's corgi on the way there!"

 

"I'll just catch up with you guys when I get off work," you laughed as Mist gave you one last sigh. Ike glanced at you and asked, "What time?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"What time are you getting off work?" he clarified as he sat down at the dinner table. Your eyes widened and you mumbled, "Probably around 1 or 2, why?"

 

"Cool, I'll just carpool with you," he answered as he leaned back. Mist opens her mouth to protest, and Ike responded, "Look, I've been having early shifts this entire week."

 

"So you're going to sleep in and join them later," you reasoned and he nodded. Mist sighed and she mumbled, "Then who'll drive me? I don't wanna drive myself there."

 

"Have Boyd drive you," Ike answered. There was a sly glint in his eyes that you've never seen before and you raised an eyebrow at him. His hand movements are subtle as he basically tells you to leave this to him. You shrugged as you leave the room to go figure out what to make for dinner.

 

Mist shook her head, "No way. Boyd always complains about how bothersome I am, why would he be willing to pick me up? Besides, our house is in the opposite direction of the beach!"

 

Ike smirked, "Trust me, he'll do it. Here, I'll show you."

 

His hands are on his phone and immediately the sound of the phone ringing is heard, and he slides it over to Mist who fumbles to pick it up.

 

"What's up, Ike?"

 

"I-It's Mist." You're surprised to hear the shyness in her voice and your head whipped back to them so quickly that Ike just gives you a sly smile and your eyes narrow at him. What magic did he use to make Mist sound like a young infatuated school girl?

 

Ike gets up from the table, and then gestures for you to follow. You glance down at the ingredients you just pulled out for curry before quickly stashing into a bag as Ike forcefully drags you out of the house. Once you guys leave the house and find yourselves on his patio, you asked, "Okay, what's going on?"

 

"I'm just helping Mist and Boyd out," Ike answered with a shrug. He sits down on his patio, and gestures for you to join him. You plopped down and you mumbled, "Who the heck is Boyd?"

 

"Rolf's older brother, you didn't know?" 

 

Your eyes widened and you shook your head. Ike's eyes widened and you mumbled, "What a small world that all of you guys know each other."

 

"Yeah, it's weird isn't it? That you technically know my friends, but you don't know that," Ike struggled to explain. You scoffed, a small smile on your face and whispered, "It's like I entered your-" you paused and then mumbled, "Or maybe not just yours, but it's kind of like... I entered the world you guys already knew without realizing it."

 

Ike stared at you and you muttered, "Never mind."

 

He chuckled and murmured, "No, I get it."

 

"Do you now?"

 

"Well, kind of?" he admitted with a slight chuckle. He leaned back on his chair and he mumbled, "But hey, it's nice having you around."

 

Your eyes widened and you laughed, "Indeed. Anyways, so what's up with Mist and Boyd?"

 

Your eyes shone with interest and Ike chuckled, "What do you think?"

 

"You're quite mean when you want to be, aren't you, Ike?" you shook your head fondly and he responded, "It's brotherly love."

 

"Sure," you drawled as you could hear Mist's voice faintly in the background, and you asked, "Hungry?"

 

"Starving."

 

"Then let's go," you said as you got up. Ike looked at you in confusion and you laughed, "I  _ do _ live next door."

 

***

 

Ike sighed in content as he finished eating. He gets up, and just as you’re about to follow suit, he forces you back in your seat and chuckled, “I’ll do it.”

 

“Thanks,” you drawled as you stretched out lazily. You watched as he cleaned up and you asked, “Was dinner good?”

 

“When is your cooking not good?” he asked. You hummed in response, knowing there wasn’t really an answer that he was looking for, but you appreciated that he enjoyed your cooking. He glanced back and quietly murmured, “It’s weird seeing the two of them like that.”

 

“The two of them?” you repeated and glanced over to him. He nodded and answered, “Mist and Boyd.”

 

You give him a small smile and teased, “Oho? Is older brother Ike being protective?” 

 

His face scrunches into a grimace and he muttered, “Of course I care. Just because I’m bad with words doesn’t mean I don’t.”

 

You giggled and nodded, “Sounds like you.”

 

There was an amiable silence as you waited for him to finish washing the dishes. You hear the water turn off and you get up to head over to the fridge, pulling out two cups of pudding and offered one to him. He shook his head and laughed, “More to clean for later?”

 

“No, there are disposable spoons,” you answered as you tossed one at him. It hits his forehead before clattering onto the table. He frowned at you, but you don’t see it with your back turned to him. He shakes his head and asked, “What time?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“What time should I pick you up?” 

 

Your eyes widened and you shook your head, “No it’s fine, I can drive back and we can carpool together.”

 

He doesn’t push the topic any further but casually muttered, “I have this horrible feeling that Boyd will drag me out of the house if he sees me at home though.”

 

“No mercy, huh?” you asked and he nodded. There was this depressing concede to defeat as he picked at his pudding and you asked, “Do you want to just stay over?”

 

_ Stay over? _ His eyes widened at the suggestion and then adamantly shook his head, “No, it’s kind of you to offer, but that’s-”

 

“Sorry, that’s awkward isn’t it?” you cut him off with a weak laugh. You weren’t sure what it was that made you feel bad. Was it the way he had cut you off so quickly? Whatever it was, you couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at offering it. He seemed to have noticed your embarrassment and mumbled, “It’s rude of me to impose on you as much as I already have.” 

 

He gives you a small smile and you returned it brightly. You fiddled with the spoon in your hand though. You’ve been debating over this for a while now, and you figured it would be a good chance to do it now. You shuffled out of the dining room without a word before returning with two keys. You hold your hand out towards him and he wordlessly opens his palm beneath your hand as you drop the keys. He gently turns them over and asked, “Are these your-”

 

“House keys, yup.” you sat down across from him and smiled, “You and Mist come over often enough to basically live here, so… if you ever want to just stop on by or crash here to escape things…”

 

Your voice trailed off and you looked away. It was more embarrassing and nerve wrecking than you thought it would be. But you really did trust Ike and Mist with having your spare keys. He looked down at the golden keys and chuckled, “Thanks, [Name].” 

 

You smiled in response and he asked, “So does this mean I can come over whenever?”

 

You paused and nodded, “Yeah, you can come over whenever. As long as you’re not demanding for food all the time or I’ll start charging you!” 

 

You added the last part playfully, but you didn’t think he’d take it to heart as you watched his expression dropped. You immediately flailed a bit and corrected, “Ah wait! Not like that’s a bad thing, it’s just-”

 

“No, but you’ve been cooking for Mist and I a lot and we’ve done nothing to pay you back.”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

“It’s not,” he argued as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. His eyes were set with determination and he answered, “I’ll make it up to you.”

 

“No, Ike, it’s really-”

 

He shoved his spoon of pudding into your mouth, surprising you and he said, “No, I’m making it up to you.”

 

There was a soft and playful smile on his lips and you finished the pudding before laughing, “Fine, I’ll look forward to it then.”


	2. Dawning Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It took you long enough, but for now this was okay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

For Mist, this was a dream come true. There were corgis everywhere covering almost every spot of the beach. Some were adorably dressed up, others were just lazing around on the sand, sunbathing, and many were just romping around the beach as though they owned the place. And truly they did with how they attracted attention by the masses.

And thankfully the attention was on the small pups today. Despite wearing a cardigan over her teal two piece swimsuit, she couldn’t help but feel slightly self-conscious of exposing so much skin. Though on the other hand, it wasn’t just her being nervous. Boyd hasn’t been able to look at her properly without feeling like a weirdo since she got in the car. Ranulf snickered smugly at his side and Boyd whined, “Knock it off!”

“Hey, it’s just entertaining how you can’t even look at her when she’s in a swimsuit.” Ranulf shrugged and Titania chuckled, “And no one would look at you two considering you’re just in muscle tanks and swim shorts. What’s wrong? Out of shape?”

She strode on by, her floral sundress trailing in her wake as her white wide-brimmed hat fluttered slightly in the wind. If the two males accompanying her didn’t know better, they would have mistaken her for a model on the beach. But as they heard her short laughter teasing them, they bristled and immediately answered, “We are not out of shape!”

“Sure,” she laughed as she trailed after Mist and Rolf. Rolf’s floral button up matched nicely with his khaki swim shorts, and if Titania had any say in it, she’d think he dressed appropriately for the festive occasion. Though the eldest of the group can’t help but feel like there’s something wrong as she glances about and a small frown tugs at the corners of her lips. Mist barely catches it from the corner of her eyes and asked, “What’s wrong, Titania?”

“Shouldn’t Ike and [F/N] been here an hour ago?” she asked as she glanced at her phone. Mist takes a peek and pouted, “Geez, Ike probably overslept or something. Let me call [F/N].”

She pulls away from the group momentarily, though just enough to find a less crowded and not as noisy area to question the whereabouts of the two late members.

Ike hummed along with the tune of the radio, although admittedly he spent majority of his time being distracted by the soft melody of your voice as you sang along to the radio. Your solo concert comes to a sudden end though as you glanced over to him and asked, “Do you want me to pick up your phone?”

The flashing LED light indicated an incoming call if it weren’t for the way his screen lit up to showcase Mist’s caller ID. There was a goofy picture of his younger sister wearing circle lens glasses pointing sternly at the camera with a tree branch and you chuckled, “IT’s from your little sister of a wizard, Mist.”

Ike raised an eyebrow and responded, “Answer for me?”

“Sure thing,” you scooped up the phone from the cup holder and answered, “Hi Mist!”

“[F/N]! Where are you two?” she sighed and you quickly put her on speaker, “The two of you should have been here an hour ago! You’re going to miss all the fun activities with the corgis!”

“Oh, well, there was a change in plans,” you admitted after glancing to check Ike’s expression. The bluenette nodded and Mist dumbly blurted, “What?”

“Well, we already knew we were going to miss most of the events,” you admitted. Ike nodded and added, “We’re going to get away from the sand and the sun.”

Mist stared out at the festive beach and even Boyd and Titania could see the frustration etched between her eyebrows as she conversed with the two of you. She sighed, “What do you mean? So are you not going to come?”

“Yeah basically,” Ike answered. Mist audibly heaved another sigh and whined, “But [F/N]! Today’s corgi beach day!”

“Yeah, but I hate the sand. And don’t worry, we’ll be nearby-ish!” you answered and you offered, “We can meet up with you guys for dinner?”

Mist almost agreed, but it suddenly hit her. The two of you were essentially on a date. A wide smug grin is evident on her features and she quipped, “No, it’s okay! Enjoy your time together! Bye!”

The clear click is heard and Mist rushes back to the group excitedly. Titania catches the glimpse of mischief and asked, “So?”

The teasing and playful tone is heard and Mist eagerly responded, “They’re on a date!”

“Who is?” Ranulf incredulously asked. He didn’t believe his ears and asked, “Do you mean Ike and [F/N]?”

Mist nodded her head eagerly and Boyd asked, “Who asked who?! Do you know where they’re going?”

The amount of questions flooding the poor girl made her hold her hands up in defense and Titania chuckled, “We’ll figure it out later. For now, let’s have fun at the beach, shall we?”

Everyone calmed down and begrudgingly nodded in agreement. Mist turned to Titania and asked, “So does this mean we can try to spy on them later?”

The older of the two simply smiles, but that’s all Mist really needed to know.

***

You frowned as you glanced down at Ike’s phone and you mumbled, “She hung up on me.”

“Well, we’re almost there anyways, it’s okay,” Ike shrugged and he takes one hand off the wheel to take the phone from you and you laughed, “Focus on driving.”

“I am!” he shook his head and turned into a parking spot and said, “See, now give.”

“Fine,” you placed the phone in his hand before grabbing yours. You waited for him outside in the parking lot and asked, “So where to Mr. I-wanted-to-keep-this-a-secret.”

He rolled his eyes and walked over to your side before nudging you towards the edge of the strip of cafes by the beach, “That one.”

“Pink Dawn Cafe,” you mumbled as you trailed a little behind Ike. He glanced back and gestured you to walk a bit faster and you added, “Sounds cute.”

“I think you’ll like it,” Ike chuckled as he opened the door for you. As soon as you step in you see the cafe has corgis laying on the floor, off to the side, or some were even on the couch and you glanced up at him and he asked, “So?”

“Ike, this is the best,” you gaze drifted away from Ike to the small black corgi that had found its way to your shoelaces and you gently lifted it up and cuddled it.

“Hey there cutie,” you cooed as you gently rubbed behind the canine’s ears affectionately. The fluffy ball of cuteness licked your hand as you approached before nuzzling against it contently. You sighed, and Ike swears a part of you was melting inside and he chuckled, “Go find a seat somewhere, I’ll come back with a drink.”

He watched as you continued to baby-talk to the ball of fluff as you found an empty table in the cafe. Though he was rather relieved to see you so quickly enamored by the cafe’s atmosphere and the dogs. After all, if this didn’t work out like he wanted to, then him waking up early to search up places participating in corgi beach day near the beach would have gone to a waste.

He quickly pulled out his phone and sighed. For once he was glad he did end up putting a password lock after hearing Mist nag at him for days. The last thing he’d want is for you to see the stupid messages that his two best friends left him.

Ranulf: GO GET ‘EM, IKE, MY BOI.

Boyd: GLHFDD!! (: (: (: (: (:

Ike deadpanned at the screen and shoved the phone into his back pocket. As much as he loved his friends, sometimes he wish they didn’t do unnecessary things. On the other hand, you had your lap occupied by the black corgi that approached you first as it continued to squirm around and nuzzle its muzzle against your stomach. The fur was silky smooth against your thighs and you couldn’t help but run your fingers through its coat.

“You’re such an adorable little thing, aren’t you?” you smiled as you booped its nose gently. The corgi shook its nose before dangling its tongue out momentarily to lick at your hand again. You laughed at its adorable actions before glancing up to see Ike bringing back two drinks and some cookies.

“I can pay-”

“It’s my treat,” he cut you off and offers you the tea and you pouted as you took it and softly mumbled, “But I feel bad.”

“I told you I’d pay you back,” he answered as he pushed the plate of cookies towards you. “Sea salt dark chocolate chip and white chocolate matcha.”

“Ooh,” your eyes lit up with excitement and he smiled, “And the tea is an earl grey creme, it’s lightly sweetened, I tried the sample and thought you may like it.”

You took a sip, and judging from the way your lips turned into a wide smile, he knew you enjoyed it. Your gaze turns to him and you asked, “How’d you know I wanted tea?”

“I guessed,” he shrugged, and added, “Figured you’d want something new outside of the usual coffee anyways.”

You nodded in agreement and watched amused as the black corgi wormed its way over from your lap to Ike’s and he glanced down before gently cupping the puppy’s face and squishing it slightly. You smirked and asked, “So tell me, aren’t they cute?”

He nodded, his gaze not leaving the small puppy as Ike played with it using the toys lying around the cafe. The pup growled as Ike played an unmerciful game of tug-o-war, only to let go and send the pup staggering backwards slightly. He chuckled and glanced at you and asked, “What’s with that face?”

“Just glad to see you’re finally being educated on the ways of the cute and fluffy,” you smirked and he rolled his eyes, “Whatever [F/N].”

You took a bite of the cookie and sighed in content, only to be taken out of your moment of happiness via food from the distracting pup that just attempted to steal your cookie. You shook your head at its antics and sternly booped its nose.

“You can’t have these, they’ll make you sick.”

You gently ruffle the pup’s fur coat before turning back to Ike who was idly sipping coffee while running his fingers through another corgi’s coat. His gaze was focused on yours and you feel a sudden rush of heat and a strange flutter in your chest when you find his strong gaze fixated on you. You glanced away momentarily. You weren’t sure if he knew he was staring, or if he even noticed that you caught him staring, but it was a strange new feeling within you. You’re not sure what it is, but you definitely aren’t rejecting that flood of warmth that you felt upon noticing his gaze.

But you disregard that sudden change and you glanced over to him again and asked, “When did you leave last night?”

The ocean blue hues of his iris seemed to refocus on you, as though he was just staring out into the distance. Or as though you had broken his focus from somewhere else. But as soon as his gaze meets yours again he answered, “Yeah, I left after you fell asleep when we were watching movies in the living room.”

“I did what now?” There was a slight panic in your voice and Ike sheepishly chuckled before awkwardly pointing out, “Yeah, you fell asleep on the couch.”

There was a brief moment of awkward silence and you softly asked, “I- Did you… you know,” your hands gesture him carrying you and he nodded and you groaned, “Oh my god I’m so sorry.”

He glanced away, and he can feel the heat on his cheeks and he mumbled, “I couldn’t just leave you on the couch. So I just…”

“Thanks,” you softly mumbled and then whined, “Man, that means you saw me asleep **twice**.”

“Well,” he paused and laughed, “It’s fine, I got used to taking care of Mist whenever she’d fall asleep at the table or on the floor from studying too much.”

He stopped as a corgi squirms its way into his lap and Ike gently holds it up. The stubby little tail wagged furiously and its paws wriggled just slightly and you cooed, “What a cutie.”

“You think **all** of them are cute,” he shook his head fondly as he places it back onto his lap. You nodded and gushed, “They’re so stubby and their ears flop about when they run and they’re just so cute.” You stopped mid-explanation as you lifted the one in your lap to cuddle and you nuzzled your nose against it. The pup returns the favor by twofold as it licks your face, eliciting small giggles which gradually changed into peels of laughter. He smiled fondly as he watched over you, but before he could process the foreign emotions that he was feeling the sound of plates being placed on the table distract you.

Both of you glance up to the waiter who was now taking your empty plates and giving you guys a small cupcake decorated to look like a corgi’s face. You glanced at Ike in confusion who also shrugs and he stated, “We didn’t order a cake.”

“Oh, it’s complementary!” the waiter smiled and said, “All couples at the cafe today get a free cake for participating in our corgi beach day celebrations.”

Both your cheeks are flushed red and you quickly glanced at Ike, only to see he was in a similar state of malfunction and you corrected, “We’re- We’re not actually-”

“Oho?” the waiter looked surprised before softly laughing and said, “Well, you may keep it. Besides, the two of you are quite a pair together. My apologies for the assumption.”

He walked away after sending you both a sly grin. But the deed has been done as the two of you are now flushed red and avoiding eye contact with each other. Though Ike clears his throat and softly nudges the cake towards you and mumbled, “You can have it.”

You glanced at the adorable confection and said, “We should share it.”

“No, it’s fine,” Ike answered. He glanced back at you, his elbow still resting on the table as his hand covered his mouth slightly. You can see traces of a smile from the features showing. It was endearing as you watched his expression change slightly and he continued, “You’re fonder of sweets anyways.”

You pouted, but even Ike knows that it wasn’t a full pout judging from the slight excitement sparkling in your eyes. You gently picked up the cupcake and took a bite. The smile that bloomed on your features was worth forsaking the treat, but then you extended your hand to him and smiled, “Try it!”

His eyes widened and you offered it again, “Come on, it’s not as sweet as you think it is.”

He furrowed his brows slightly, but upon seeing that defiant gaze he knew he couldn’t win. He chuckled as he placed his hand beneath yours to catch any crumbs. He bit into it and you were tempted to smash the cupcake into his face, but upon seeing the surprise and delight in his eyes, you decided not to.

“It is good.”

“Right?!” you laughed and then gently pushed it against his lips, “You should finish it.”

“Why-” he regrets opening his mouth because you shoved it in with a burst of laughter. He frowns at you, but eats the confection anyways. You offered him a napkin and he grumbled, “You didn’t have to force it, you know.”

“Yeah, but I’m sure you would have tried to talk me into eating it for myself.”

“And you didn’t want to?”

“There’s so many other treats to try here!” you pointed at the menu on the wall and mumbled, “Look at the other desserts and drinks. I want to try them all before we have to go.”

Ike chuckled and gently ruffled your hair, causing you to look over to him and he stretched out slightly. His hand lands atop of the corgi that was sitting on your lap and he gives it a small scratch before saying, “Take your time, [F/N]. We have all of today.”

***

“So our boy Ike is at a cafe down the strip,” Ranulf reported to the group. Boyd had an arm slung around Ranulf as he peered down at the phone in his hand. Mist frowned and crossed her arms and mumbled, “I really want to go see how they’re doing.”

“Then do it?” Boyd prompted and Mist shook her head, “But I shouldn’t.”

“Oh? Why not?” Ranulf asked. Mist glanced at him and averted her gaze and mumbled, “Ike is always considerate of me, so…”

Her voice trailed off, but they all understood what she meant. She sighed and whined, “Ah, but I really want to go check!”

“Then just go,” Boyd sighed, and Mist countered, “But we’re at the beach together! It’s not often that we get to hang out together, so might as well take advantage of the time we have now to make memories together!”

Boyd flushes at her choice of words and Ranulf grinned, “Spend time with all of us, or do you mean Boyd?”

Ranulf’s head is suddenly pushed downward from Boyd’s hand and there’s laughter heard from the sly boy. He squirms out of Boyd’s hold, but he knows his mission is accomplished when he sees the hues of red and pink on Boyd’s and Mist’s cheeks.

***

You glanced out of the cafe as you absentmindedly run your fingers through the coat of the corgi on your lap. The sun was starting to set, dying the sky and the world below it in hues of pink. The beachfront cafes were dyed in pink, their windows casting lighter shades of pink across the sidewalks. The sand of the beach that was once filled with laughter, chatter and corgis everywhere was now devoid of people, only a few stragglers enjoying the scenery with the company of their friends. You sighed in content as you gently scratched the back of the corgi pup’s ears and Ike glanced over to you.

Your heart felt warm and full of love and joy that he had taken you out on this special day. Even though a part of you felt bad for ditching Mist, the air conditioning and the corgis accompanied by some great drinks and sweets and of course, Ike, made it worth it. His gaze searched yours and you softly mumbled, “I don’t want to leave.”

He glanced at the clock and then looked over to you and gave you a small smile, “The cafe closes soon though.”

“I know,” you whined as you ruffled the corgi, eliciting a small bark from the chubby pup. It licked your hand and you softly murmured an apology as you went back to petting it soothingly. You were about to say something, but the rumble of your stomach causes your thoughts to still and you look at him embarrassed. Ike laughed and asked, “Should we get food?”

“Yeah, maybe we should,” you glanced away sheepishly and he chuckled, “Come on then.”

You gently placed the pup back on the floor and gave it one last ruffle as you let Ike throw away all the trash and return the plates. You sighed as you got up and the waiter from early gives you a small smile as he approaches to clean your table.

“Thank you for coming by! We hope you two have a good evening.”

“Thank you!” you answered back politely as Ike opened the door for you to walk out. He inclines his head softly and follows you out. You glanced back at him and asked, “Are we meeting Mist for dinner tonight?”

“No.”

“No?” you echoed and turned to actually look at him. He gestures for you to walk with him and you follow suit. He glanced down at you, but he sheepishly glanced away and answered, “I was planning on making you dinner.”

His voice trailed off slightly. You weren’t sure if it was the pink hues of the setting sun, or if it was the flush from embarrassment, but you found it endearing how even to the very end he still thought of you. You walked a little bit forward just to turn around and look at him and you smiled, “You really didn’t have to.”

“But I wanted to,” he countered. He gave you a small grin, “You’ve done a lot for Mist and I, and I just wanted to repay you back, even if it’s just a little.”

He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck and murmured, “I may not be as good as a cook as you are, but I wanted to do something for you.”

You both stood still, and you weren’t sure exactly what it was that had you so overwhelmed with emotions. Was it the small blush on his cheeks and the tinge of red on his ears? Or was it the fact that he was so thoughtful, to the point where you weren’t sure where to go or what to do from here? You glanced away. The embarrassment was catching up to you now and you softly mumbled, “You really didn’t have to… this coffee shop date was already enough as it is.”

 **Date.** Perhaps that was what today was. But as soon as you said it aloud, you can see his eyes widened in surprise and your heart skips a beat at how clear yet beautiful the ocean blue orbs were. Your throat constricted and you struggled to break the silence, but there was no need to when the sound of a bell chiming repeatedly causes both of you to look behind you as a bicyclist comes speeding down the sidewalk.

Ike’s hand is suddenly on your wrist and you feel yourself being pulled towards him as the bicyclist zooms on by, barely shouting back an apology as they continued on their way. His touch on you was fleeting, but the lingering warmth and the flurry of emotions that suddenly filled you made you dizzy.

“Hey, are you okay?” Ike asked as he glanced down. You don’t quite hear him though, not over the sound of your heartbeat. It was so obvious, and you find yourself in disbelief that you never realized it before. That lingering warmth whenever his fingers graze against yours, the way his voice and laughter always caught your attention regardless of where you are, or how you could talk to him for hours on end without feeling awkward - wasn’t it all because you liked him?

Your gaze falls on where Ike’s hand was now gently holding your wrist. You didn’t want him to let go. Your eyes widened at that small thought that echoed in the back of your head. But before you could bother consulting that voice any further, you hear his voice, low and filled with concern, “[F/N], are you okay?”

You turned to him and met his gaze. There was concern written all over his face and you reassure him with a small smile.

“I’m okay. Thanks for pulling me out of the way. I guess I wasn’t paying enough attention.”

He sighed in relief, and his hand naturally fell away from yours. There’s a small smile on his lips and he mumbled, “I’m glad. I thought you got hurt.”

“I’m fine, really,” you answered with a light laugh, “Thanks for that. And for today.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’d do that for any of my friends,” he responded as he gently pats your head. You laugh and casually throw his hand off of your hand with your own arm. He chuckled and asked, “Ready to go?”

You nodded and trailed after him. _Even if this is just friendship, this is fine._ It was the subtle things that really hit home for you; holding your bag, keeping the door open for you, letting you walk on the inside of the sidewalk - all of it was just the way Ike was. _But…_

You decide to store those feelings away for now. Because for now, simply being by his side and being his friend was good enough. _But maybe… Maybe in the future I’ll let him know. But for now, this is okay._

Ike glanced back and he frowned, “Walk any slower and I’ll leave you behind.”

“You wouldn’t!” you balked and sped up just a bit to be walking side by side with him. You caught a glance of the small smile on his lips and you fondly smiled, mirroring his expression.

_Yup, this is good for now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And time for me to go on another hiatus for who knows how long. LMAO. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this the summer, and as you can tell I didn’t get it done. LOL. I’m writing this a.n. Now, aka the 27th of December. But by the time I finish this, it’s going to be new years or something dear lord. 
> 
> And here I am looking back on this doc and, wow it’s February time flies.
> 
> I honestly just want to write some cute fluffy New Years installment BUT I CAN’T WHEN I CLEARLY HAVEN’T GOTTEN PAST SUMMER.
> 
> Highkey dying but highkey want to finish this. LOL. On another note, happy 1 year anniversary to Fire Emblem Heroes and happy 3rd installation of another Ike variation on the game as well! (: I’m happy to say that I got VL!Ike and he’s made me very happy.


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